Roger Corman is a name synonymous with the B-films, the drive in disaster films which often featured creatures and bikini clad women. As the rating system was administered this turned into gore and nudity, as this unique filmmaker learned a way to make money off of bad filmmaking. This trick came in the form of genre pictures, which were made mainstream and big budget with the Blockbuster’s arrival in the late 70s and early 80s. Roger Corman was ahead of his time, often starting the career of many great actors and filmmakers, from Martin Scorsese to Jack Nicholson.
These and many more are here to give commentary on the man behind 60 years of filmmaking. Working as a writer, director, producer and any other job which would save on money if he did it himself, Corman once made 10 films in a single year. He was able to turn a profit on nearly everything he made, and continues to make films to this day. Director Alex Stapleton mixes together interviews with icons who worked with Corman along with archival footage and appropriate clips from some of the better (and worse) films.
Like a typical Roger Corman film, this documentary moves fast and wastes no time. It jumps through Corman’s career with the speed of solid entertainment. Most of the people being interviewed seem to be having so much fun talking about the legendary filmmaker that it becomes contagiously enjoyable to watch. The exception is Scorsese, who seems a bit too scholarly for this type of interview. It would have been nice if they had been able to get him to lighten up a bit more.
The Blu-ray includes a few bonus features, such as extended interviews from the film and a special message to Roger. There is also a trailer.
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